Full Text:

The Adventures Of Cat And Toad Continue

(with photos)

BY MICHELE HOGAN

Wind in her hair, riding over a hillcrest at dawn, Cathy Buxton of Newtown

lives a life most of us only dream of. Cat and Toad Buxton, both of Newtown,

have been peddling and camping since May of 1996 and don't expect to be back

until the summer of 1999. In nine months actual riding time they had peddled a

total of 6,400 miles.

Cathy's mother, Carole Foley, said, "People say to Cat, all the time, `You're

living my dream!' She replies, `No, I'm living my dream. Only you can live

your dream.'"

The kind of experiences that might leave many of us dreaming of the nearest

Holiday Inn, have left Cat and Toad (her husband, also of Newtown) more

committed than ever to their three-year bicycle trek.

Carrying over 100 pounds of supplies on their bicycles, they have ridden

through extreme heat, through pouring rain, against strong head-winds, and

along seemingly endless roads as they make their way across continent.

They live on less than $8,000 a year for the two of them, sleep in a tent,

travel by bicycle and eat a lot of grains, legumes and fresh produce.

Mrs Foley asked "Can you imagine your partner suggesting selling everything

and traveling by bicycle across the country? I'm just so glad they found each

other! This is what they both really want to do, and they are so happy doing

it."

They have been visiting schools along the way showing kids that you can be

happy without having a lot of material things.

Kids keep asking them about the details, like "Where do you sleep? Where do

you go to the bathroom?" Cat and Toad answer, "Anywhere you can!"

Sharing their love and respect for nature, they teach the children about

finding solutions for pollution. One example they give is using non-polluting

energy sources such as bicycle and solar power.

Cat has prepared and printed a children's story and coloring book about their

travels entitled Cat and Toad's First Adventure which they would love to be

able to a give away to children they meet along the way. But the printing is

costly.

One page of their book shows the pair riding through the "Michigan Deluge."

Cat's attitude toward adversity contains an inspiring message for kids

everywhere. Cat wrote "...as the cold rain pelts me with sharp slivers, with

water rushing down my limbs, my feet begin to swim...cars go rushing past,

splashing water in our faces with a blast. An exhilarating ride!"

The couple have been working to fund their journey, segment by segment. Last

winter Cat and Toad found work on the west coast. They set off from North

Plains Oregon June 1, are currently in West Glacier, Montana, and expect to

reach the Grand Canyon in October.

By November they should be in Tucson, Arizona where they will work for several

months before heading back to Newtown next summer.

Along the route, they have been really touched by the kindness and compassion

of total strangers. Once, while riding, Toad mangled his hand in the spokes

while adjusting his saddle bag. The couple stopped in the next town, and the

people they met there dropped everything, took them to a hospital, stayed with

them all day, and found them a place to stay for a few nights while Toad's

hand healed.

Mrs Foley smiled as she recalled what Cat said, "You know how people say

`Watch out for the next guy?' We haven't met him yet."

Anyone wishing to drop them a note (or Newman's dark chocolate, or money) can

write to them at c/o Heather Roof, P.O. Box 412, Carbondale, Colorado 81220.

They expect to arrive there in the first week in September.

Mrs Foley said that they don't carry writing supplies with them, so a

self-addressed stamped envelope would really help out if you would like them

to write back.

Mrs Foley, who lives in Newtown and works at Grand Union, has 15 back-orders

for the coloring book. She is planning to have more copies printed, and can be

reached for further details at 270-1095.